Two Ways to Build
Adventure
Where Our Bikes Go
Colombia to Tierra del Fuego
Kate Rawles, Environmental Advocate
"Woody turned out to be the most reliable bike I've ever owned. I had hardly any mechanical problems on the whole journey."
Kate rode her BBC-built bamboo bike 'Woody' through the Andes, documenting the journey in her book 'The Life Cycle'.
London to New Zealand
Pamir Highway, Winter
Daily Commute, 7+ Years
Jamie, Romania
Why Bamboo?
Nature's Perfect Frame Material
Bamboo combines the best of steel, carbon, and titanium stronger than steel, better vibration dampening than carbon fibre, and it grows back in 3–5 years.
Recognition
Awards & Press
"Bamboo Bicycle Club taps into 'the IKEA effect' — that extra bit of affection people reserve for objects they put together themselves."
Financial Times September 2025
Investec Beyond Business
2025 WinnerKevin McCloud's Green Heroes
2018Grand Designs Live
OCN Level 2 Accredited
Educational programmes
Design Museum Exhibition
2015-16Cycle Revolution
Featured in:
Social Impact
Building More Than Bikes
From prison rehabilitation to school programmes, we use bamboo bicycle building to create real change. Our Build to Bond programme helps parents in prison build bikes for their children — maintaining family connections and learning skills for release.
"Innovative projects like Build to Bond support rehabilitation and help people leave prison as better citizens."
From Our Builders
Real Stories
"Still riding mine daily after 7 years. Built it at home in Romania using the kit. It's outlasted two steel bikes I owned before."
"Rides lovely. Build quality is better than I expected for a home-built frame."
"How did it feel riding something mostly made from a member of the grass family? Surprisingly good."
Our Story
13 years of teaching people to build
In 2012, we opened a small workshop in East London with one goal: prove that anyone can build a bicycle. No welding. No experience. Just bamboo and your hands. Since then, our frames have been ridden from London to New Zealand, across the Andes, and through monsoons in India. Every bike we help create is someone's first — and usually their favourite.
"If we want people to choose sustainable options, we need to offer something better than what polluting products can be."
— James Marr, Founder
Key Milestones
First Workshop" — Small East London workshop opens its doors
Featured in Cycle Revolution exhibition
Kevin McCloud award at Grand Designs Live
Prison rehabilitation programme launches
Beyond Business award for social impact
Common Questions
Do I need any experience?
No. 95% of our builders have never built anything like this before. Our guides and video tutorials make it accessible to complete beginners.
How long does it take to build?
A workshop takes 2-3 days. Building from a kit at home typically takes 35-40 hours spread over several weekends.
Is a bamboo bicycle strong enough?
Absolutely. Bamboo has a higher tensile strength than steel. Our frames are tested and rated for riders up to 120kg. One of our bikes has been ridden 8,288 miles through the Andes.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, we ship kits to 36+ countries worldwide. International shipping typically costs £50-150 depending on destination.
Still have questions?
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